exact

verb

ex·act | \ ig-ˈzakt

exacted; exacting; exacts

Definition of exact

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to call for forcibly or urgently and obtain from them has been exacted the ultimate sacrifice— D. D. Eisenhower

2 : to call for as necessary or desirable

exact

adjective

Definition of exact (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : exhibiting or marked by strict, particular, and complete accordance with fact or a standard

2 : marked by thorough consideration or minute measurement of small factual details

Other Words from exact Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Do you exact or extract revenge? Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about exact

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Other Words from exact

Verb

exactable \ ig-ˈzak-tə-bəl

\ adjective

exactor or less commonly exacter \ ig-ˈzak-tər

\ noun

Adjective

exactness \ ig-ˈzak(t)-nəs

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for exact

Verb

demand, claim, require, exact mean to ask or call for something as due or as necessary. demand implies peremptoriness and insistence and often the right to make requests that are to be regarded as commands. demanded payment of the debt claim implies a demand for the delivery or concession of something due as one's own or one's right. claimed the right to manage his own affairs require suggests the imperativeness that arises from inner necessity, compulsion of law or regulation, or the exigencies of the situation. the patient requires constant attention exact implies not only demanding but getting what one demands. exacts absolute loyalty

Adjective

correct, accurate, exact, precise, nice, right mean conforming to fact, standard, or truth. correct usually implies freedom from fault or error. correct answers socially correct dress accurate implies fidelity to fact or truth attained by exercise of care. an accurate description exact stresses a very strict agreement with fact, standard, or truth. exact measurements precise adds to exact an emphasis on sharpness of definition or delimitation. precise calibration nice stresses great precision and delicacy of adjustment or discrimination. makes nice distinctions right is close to correct but has a stronger positive emphasis on conformity to fact or truth rather than mere absence of error or fault. the right thing to do

Do you exact or extract revenge?

Verb

The verb exact (as in, "exacting revenge" or "exacting a promise") is not as commonly encountered as the adjective exact, (as in "an exact copy" or "exact measurements"). Sometimes people will mistakenly use the more common verb extract when they really want exact. Extract can refer to removing something by pulling or cutting or to getting information from someone who does not want to give it. While both words refer to getting something they are used in different ways. You extract a tooth, but you exact revenge.

Did You Know?

Verb

Exact derives from a form of the Latin verb exigere, meaning "to drive out, to demand, or to measure." (Another descendant of exigere is the word exigent, which can mean "demanding" or "requiring immediate attention.") Exigere, in turn, was formed by combining the prefix ex- with the verb agere, meaning "to drive." Agere has been a very prolific source of words for English speakers; it is the ancestor of agent, react, mitigate, and navigate, just to name a few. Incidentally, if you are looking for a synonym of the verb exact, you could try demand, call for, claim, or require.

Examples of exact in a Sentence

Verb

They would not rest until they had exacted revenge. He was able to exact a promise from them.

Adjective

Those were his exact words. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation. We don't know the exact nature of the problem. Predicting the path of hurricanes is not an exact science. The police have an exact description of the killer. Please take the most exact measurements possible. He is very exact in the way he solves a problem.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Many health insurers already exact a smoker’s surcharge, said Adam Johnson the QuoteWizard research analyst behind the study. — Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "Amid unchecked vaping, Carmel to consider ban on e-cigs in public spaces," 13 June 2019 Some of the qualities that make a TRD Pro excellent off-road—solid rear axle, towering ground clearance, Nitto Terra Grappler all-terrain tires—exact a penalty on the asphalt trail. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "Why the 2019 Toyota 4Runner Defies Rationality," 29 May 2019 In my version of the story, Catelyn Stark is re-imbued with a kind of life and becomes this vengeful wight who galvanizes a group of people around her and is trying to exact her revenge on the riverlands. — Stacey Leasca, Glamour, "'Game of Thrones' Fans Think Catelyn Stark Could Return as Lady Stoneheart Still," 21 Apr. 2019 Some business groups and individuals close to the discussions say the U.S. objectives remain unclear this deep in the process and that existing tariffs continue to exact a price. — Alex Leary, WSJ, "Business Lobby Gaining a Voice Amid Pressure for U.S.-China Trade Peace," 9 Jan. 2019 However, four years later in the next World Cup held jointly by Japan and South Korea, Beckham and England would exact some measure of revenge against Argentina - with the Manchester United man scoring the only goal in England's win. — SI.com, "World Cup Countdown: 5 Weeks to Go - England Fall to Argentina Despite Teen Sensation's Wonder Goal," 17 May 2018 Composed of 2,500 light bulbs and 1,000 feet of neon tubing, the sign exacts a significant cost in electricity and maintenance. — Ian Cummings, kansascity, "At KC’s Western Auto building, residents try to relight an iconic neon sign," 26 July 2017 But the austerity measures sent prices soaring, exacting a heavy toll on ordinary Egyptians. — Maggie Michael And Brian Rohan, chicagotribune.com, "Egypt votes for president, with el-Sissi certain to win," 26 Mar. 2018 The new tariffs target a wide range of American products, but the EU’s list includes a number of products chosen specifically to exact a political price from Trump and his supporters. — Washington Post, BostonGlobe.com, "EU trade tariffs take effect, in latest rift between US and its closest allies," 22 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

With the push of a button, the automaker's new 2020 Lexus RC F sport coupe morphs into the spacecraft that can travel anywhere in the universe within seconds — from zero-to-60 in 0.0000000000001 nanoseconds to be exact. — Dalvin Brown, USA TODAY, "First-ever Lexus space jet idea has specs you've never heard of, until now," 14 June 2019 But Google has not provided exact numbers yet and some city leaders and business groups have pushed back at the notion that all of the workers will be new, pointing out that many already live in the South Bay. — Emily Deruy, The Mercury News, "Community groups call on Google to help build 17,000 homes in San Jose," 12 June 2019 Whatever the exact numbers, Stoll notes that even his estimate doesn’t suggest Bitcoin is burning down the planet just yet. — Gregory Barber, WIRED, "Bitcoin's Climate Impact Is Global. The Cures Are Local.," 12 June 2019 To be exact, Fashion Nova has 2,218 items that all include the slimy trend. — Nandi Howard, Essence, "Lime Green Is The Fall Trend To Start Wearing Now," 12 June 2019 Those 40 — 42 to be exact — are part of a mass exodus of teachers out of classrooms in southeastern Wisconsin in the years following Act 10, the 2011 state law that eliminated collective bargaining for teachers and most other public employees. — Annysa Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "MPS is hemorrhaging workers, its teachers union says. Will a new salary schedule help?," 10 June 2019 While the State Department has declined to share exact numbers on how many Americans have gone missing abroad in the past five years, stories of US citizens who vanish in a foreign country have recently made headlines. — Nicole Chavez, CNN, "When a solo traveler went missing in Peru, it changed her family's lives completely," 9 June 2019 Dan Barreiro, Neighborhood Development director and the person heading up the census push for the city, said the city has several populations that can be hard to get exact numbers on, including senior citizens, small children and Hispanics. — Steve Lord, Aurora Beacon-News, "Aurora geared to push U.S. Census count," 5 June 2019 However, no exact number has been determined by researchers. — NBC News, "FDA approves migraine drug as the first cluster headache treatment," 5 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exact.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for exact

Verb

Middle English exacten "to require as payment," borrowed from Latin exāctus, past participle of exigere "to drive out, achieve, enforce payment of or the performance of (a task), require, inquire into, examine" from ex- ex- entry 1 + agere "to drive (cattle), be in motion, do, perform" — more at agent

Adjective

borrowed from Latin exāctus, from past participle of exigere "to drive out, achieve, require, inquire into, examine, measure" — more at exact entry 1

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